RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The heir to the Saudi throne, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz, died Saturday in the U.S. after an illness. He was 85.
The death of the crown prince — who was the half brother of the ailing Saudi King Abdullah — opens questions about succession. NBC News reported that Sultan died at a hospital in New York City. He is expected to be buried Tuesday in Riyadh.
'A strong leader' Sultan, who was the oil-rich kingdom's deputy prime minister, had been defense minister and minister of aviation for about four decades.
"With grief, King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz mourns the death of Sultan bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, crown prince and his brother," the palace said in a statement.
Saudi television broke its schedules early on Saturday to broadcast Koranic verses accompanied by footage of the Kaaba in Mecca, Islam's holiest site.
"The crown prince was a strong leader and a good friend to the United States over many years as well as a tireless champion for his country. He will be missed," said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a visit to Tajikistan. "Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is strong and enduring and we will look forward to working with the leadership for many years to come."
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